


The Demon Lords

by Ruunkur



Series: The Demon Realms [2]
Category: Digimon Adventure
Genre: AU, Male Hikari
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-02-17 07:14:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13071825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruunkur/pseuds/Ruunkur
Summary: These are the stories demon lords, and how they came to claim that title.These are the stories of the fallen angelic, and how they came to help the demons.These are the stories of the eight children, who once had a grand destiny before them. Had they only been born together, at the right time, in the right universe. But who still managed to find their way to each other. And who still managed to save their territories.





	1. Garurumon

**Author's Note:**

> Back story on how the kids came to claim their title as demon lords. Along with looking at just how the world works. I will be following the eight "main" children, how they became who they were. Each chapter is probably inspired by a song.
> 
> These are not edited beyond looking for spelling errors.

_"Long ago, before the humans realized that we existed, we lived in harmony. There are six of us, the strongest demons in the land. Can you tell me who those six were?"_

_You're quiet as you listen to the man, running a hand through your hair thoughtfully. "No," you admit finally._

_"There was Birdra, Ikkaku, Garuru, Toge, Grey, and Kabuteri. These six demons ruled their territories in peace. They interacted with humans, though they never showed their true forms." The man settled in the chair, watching you._

_"Aren't you Garuru?" You ask, watching the man. You're ten, you had been in the demon realms for three, nearly four years, and you feel trapped._

_"Smart, but I am Garurumon, an echo of the great Garuru. Yamato, do you want to take a break?" The man asks and you shake your head._

_"No, continue, sorry." You add, finding your fingers tapping against your thigh. You still your hands, the man letting out a small laugh._

_"We can take a break, if you need." He promises._

_"No! I want to hear more...more about how everything it happened." You say. "How the realms became what they are."_

_"You're willing to study when we can take a break?" The man laughs and you shuffle in your seat._

_"You told me yesterday that you won't be around forever. So can I learn while I still have the source talking to me?" You ask._

_"Okay, we will continue." The man promises. "The six demon lords ruled their territory, working in tandem with the humans. They did not tell the humans what they were, for they knew that the humans would grow fearful. At this time, the six demon lords often communed with each other. They lived in peace. The church was growing in power as well. And when they found out what the demon lords were, they grew angry._

_"At this point, the demons had already had children amongst the humans, through flings and longer relationships. The six demons withdrew from the human realms, but the damage had been done. The humans, when the children showed signs of demonic power, they cast them out, into the realms that the demons ruled. The demon lords offered their homes to their children, but soon found that they fought amongst each other._

_"Kabuteri was the first to be killed. His successor took the name "Kabuterimon", to let the others know that he was not the original. Following Kabuteri's death, Grey was murdered. Toge fell next, then Birdra. Ikkaku fought, and it took several demons to kill him." The man hesitates, then smiles at you fondly. "Last that fell was Garuru. He retreated into the mountains, hiding himself away."_

_"How did he die?" You ask._

_"Old age," the man laughs. "But that's assuming that Garuru is dead."_

_"I'm sorry, come again?" You ask, watching as the man rests his chin in his hand, leaning on the table._

_"Where are we Yamato?" He asks._

_"In the mountains, in Garurumon's territory." You say._

_"Yes, in Garurumon's territory we are indeed. But, that is again thinking that Garuru died." The man shifts and you watch him, his skin rippling. It takes on a white tone, blue stripes forming. Ears sprout and you watch the human facade drop away. You don't move as the demon smiles at you, eyes gleaming._

_"I..." You hesitate, not letting the fear take you._

_"I am very old Yamato," the man says, dropping into his seat with a sigh. "I have seen my fellow lords die and be taken over by descendents. I hid myself away and waited. I am counting on you."_

_"That's a lot of trust," you say finally, watching the demon. "I'm young as well."_

_"Ah, but you are a descendent of mine." He says with a nod. "I have faith in you,"_

_"And if I don't have faith in myself?" You counter, looking up at him._

_"The lords we have now, with the exception of Greymon, are very solid in their positions. They have been around long enough that they will not disappear very soon. These are children much like yourself, abandoned by their human parents. They fought their way to the top." Garuru says, voice gentle as he watches you._

_"But I didn't have to fight, you offered to teach me. How is that fair?" You counter._

_"Because I can see something in you, something that I know is strong to take the position. You have the fire that Garuru needs to live again." Garuru says with a smile._

_"They think you're dead." You realize._

_"Yes," Garuru says, laughter following the word. "The mighty Garuru has long been dead and none have been able to stand in his place. But you, I trust you. Take my hand, and I will make you great."_

_You look at the striped hand held out to you. You look up at the man who offers it. You take his hand, a shiver running through your body._

"Yamato?"

You sit up in the bed, turning your head towards the voice.

"Go back to bed Taichi," you murmur. You're barefoot as you get up from bed, shuffling to the bathroom. You splash water into your face, looking at the mirror and your reflection.

"Are you okay?"

You jump when you see Taichi's face appear in the mirror.

"I'm fine," you say, turning to look at Taichi.

"You haven't been sleeping lately," Taichi says, leaning against the doorway. You're in your home. Taichi is visiting, and you feel on edge with having someone else there.

"No, I haven't." You agreed. "Sorry, I'll be back in a moment."

"Is it because of my being here?" Taichi asks and you shake your head.

"No, it's not about that." You promise. "I just... I have been having dreams of my mentor lately. He died when I was fourteen. I sometimes wish he was still alive. There are questions I wish I had asked him..."

"I get it," Taichi says with a nod and you want to tell him that he doesn't. "After we stopped talking, my mentor brought me into her home. She was nice, and I miss her a lot."

"How did you become Greymon?" You ask. It had been three years since the war between the church and the demons. You still don't understand how you had come out in the end.

"My mentor," Taichi says slowly. "She was the previous Greymon. She wanted to choose who took over her place. I don't know, still, why she choose me over anyone else. I'm an idiot who can't think far enough ahead."

"You wear the skull pretty well," you say, leaning against the sink counter and watching him. "You took up the mantle. My teacher told me that those that could take up the demon lord positions were descents of the original demon lords. One of your ancestors was probably Greymon."

"Than how do you explain my sibling?" Taichi asks and it makes you sad that sometimes he couldn't accept that his sibling had chosen to be a male.

"Probably another ancestor would have been Angewomon." You say with a shrug. "Do you miss your mentor?"

"Often," Taichi says with a nod. "She was a nice woman. Are you coming back to bed tonight?"

"Maybe," you say, watching Taichi. "I may go out for a walk as well."

"Who was your mentor?" Taichi asks and you glance at him, walking past and grabbing his hand. You lead him back to your shared bed, waving your hand.

"He was the previous Garurumon," you say, thinking it over. "He was my ancestor. He was Garuru, hidden away in the mountains until the time came. The others thought he was dead until..." You glance up and you see the trusting in Taichi's eyes. "He took me in, taught me everything he thought I needed to know. There were still things I wanted to ask him, but he died before I got the chance. I'm mad at myself, now." You admit.

"My mentor heard stories, that Garuru didn't originally die, that he was still hiding. She didn't believe it. But also mentioned that in the first summit she attended, he showed up in all his glory. The old demon lords could take the animal form of their names. The descendents have a mere fraction of power that they did." Taichi murmurs.

"I could never compare to Garuru's power." You agree.

"Let's go to bed," Taichi says and you nod, settling down in the bed and closing your eyes.

_"Kid, what are you doing here?"_

_You glance up, freezing at the sound of the demon talking to you. You glance over your shoulder, as if to make sure that he was really talking to you before shrugging._

_"Looking for a place to lie low," you say finally. The man that appears has white hair with blue tips, his yellow eyes gleaming in the faint light._

_"Do you know where you are?" He asks._

_"Garurumon's territory," you say. You had seen the sign. But you had wanted to get as far away from Taichi as you could. You are ten years old, and the words he had shouted still stung._

_"Would you like a place to stay?" He asks. "I'll teach you."_

_"How can I know to trust you?" You ask._

_"You can't," he grins back, holding out his hand. "You just have to try. What could go wrong?"_

_"You could kill me, or hurt me." You say finally but take the hand of the older demon. You had nothing left to lose._


	2. Ikkakumon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, offering help is what's best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not edited, but I did check for spelling. Enjoy!

"Mom?"

You step into the house, feeling a chill sweep over you. You're eleven years old, and recently you noticed your parents pulling further away from you. You run your hands over your arms, turning when you hear the sound of something breaking in the kitchen.

"Mom, dad?" You call once more, heading towards the sound. You stop when you hear something else break, in a room further into the house. The sounds confuse you, make your heart skip a beat and you take a step back. You don't know how long you stay like this, against the wall, but you only break out of it when you hear a door slam.

"Jou!"

You jump when you hear your name, turning to look at your mother.

"What are you doing home?" She asks and you open your mouth, watching her.

"It's after school mom," you say. You hastily step away from the wall, feeling a chill crawl down your back.Your mother looks tired and, when she finally looks at you, you want to flinch. You want to hide away from her gaze.

"You and I need to have a talk." She says finally and you frown at her.

"What sort of talk?" You ask, trying to think of something that you had done wrong over the past few days. You reach a hand up to your forehead, rubbing the spot that you had hit. The bump was still here, and you could swear it was getting worse.

"There are things that I haven't told you, that I need to tell you now." She says after a moment. Her words are heavy and you frown at her.

"Is dad going to be home soon?" You ask. When you glance at the old clock on the wall, you realize that it was nearly eight at night. Normally, both of your parents would have been home by four. You can't recall how long you had stayed, paralyzed, against the wall.

"He won't be coming home until you're gone." Your mother says and you stare at her blankly. "The man that you call father, he isn't your father Jou,"

"That's...not possible." You say, looking up at her. He had been there your whole life. He may have been withdrawn, always interested in your older brothers. You had watched them when you were younger, almost jealous of the attention they received, but you had decided that maybe it wasn't worth it to be jealous.

"Yes, it is." She says. "I'm only telling you because I love you Jou, but you are no longer welcome here."

"Where...would I go?" You ask, unable to comprehend what she is telling you. You don't want to believe that she would be able to get rid of you that easily. This was your mother that you were talking to.

"I'm taking you some place where you won't have to hide." Your mother says and you stare at her blankly.

"Who's my father?" You ask finally.

"A demon," she says and her voice is strained as she speaks. You had heard of the demon territories in school, just three weeks ago. They were dangerous. Humans were supposed to stay away from them. You shake your head, realizing that your mother is in front of you. "It was a stupid mistake, having sex with them. It was a moment of weakness. Your father and I were fighting. When I realized what had happened, I thought it was impossible. That maybe, I had the timing wrong."

"You're lying," you say blankly, unable to process what was going on. Your mother was playing a joke, that had to be it. You were a good kid. Her hand touches your hair, pulling you into a hug.

"If that I were," she murmurs and you return the hug. "But I'm not Jou, your father was a demon. I am returning you to the place you belong. Before you hurt my other children."

You try to pull away, try to move. But your mother is holding onto you, crying into your hair. You let her lead you away. And when you get to the edge of the demon realms, you stay there, watching her retreating back, watching her walk away with purpose. You wrap your arms around yourself, sit on the grass, and cry.

***

"What are you doing here?"

Your head snaps up when you hear the voice and you suddenly standing. It is your first week within the demon territories, and you can still imagine your mother coming back, telling you that she was sorry. You touch the bump on your head, and you feel the point of the horn that had broken through not two days before.

"You must be new here, right?" The speaker asks and you nod, ever so slightly.

"I'm Koushiro," he continues and you get a better view of the speaker. Insect wings rustle behind him, a horn sprouting from his own head. His hair, which looks like it's turning from red to blue, hangs halfway down his back and you cross your arms over your chest.

"Jou," you say finally and your gaze lands to his outstretched hand. Carefully, you offer him your hand, the both of you taking a step away from the other when the handshake was done.

"How long have you been out here?" Koushiro asks and you give him a shrug.

"A week now," you say after a moment.

"Was it the mutation growing that made your parents get rid of you?" Koushiro asks and you stare at him. "It's not polite to ask, but I've been watching you for the last couple of days. If you don't have the will to live, I can kill you instead." He adds.

"I..." You frown.

"Right, the horn just started growing, sorry about that." Koushiro says and his eyes are on you, his voice steady as he talks.

"No, my mom knew that my father was a demon." You say finally. You don't know how she knew, but she did. You didn't think to ask before she left you here. "How long have you been here?"

"A couple years," Koushiro says with a shrug. "I was bounced from the orphanage to here when I was seven. They do that you know. They take kids who aren't desirable and will throw them out into the demon territories in hopes that they don't come back. Sometimes, someone is stupid enough to try. They just get sent right back out. Sometimes, they even get lucky and send an actual demon out here."

"I see," you say, standing up from where you had been sitting. You glance around the area, feeling Koushiro's gaze on you. Finally you look back at him, frowning.

"Do you need help going somewhere?" He asks.

"I don't know where to go." You say finally.

"This is Kabuterimon's territory. You'll get electrified if he finds you here." Koushiro warns. "You look like a water demon, I can take you into Ikkakumon's territory."

"I don't follow." You say after a moment.

"Just, follow me." Koushiro says and you do, wondering why you trust him.

"Why?" You ask finally.

"Because Kabuterimon is very protective of her territory?" Koushiro asks, looking back at you with a frown.

"No, why would you help me?" You demand, looking at him.

"Because you're just a kid. You don't know what you're getting into." Koushiro says with a shrug. "I've been here long enough to know what happens if you get caught in the wrong area. Ikkakumon's territory isn't probably much better off, but at least there are fewer demons there willing to eat you."

"EAT ME?" You nearly shout, giving Koushiro a startled look. He just shrugs and you follow him, wondering what you had gotten yourself into, and if you should really be giving your mother more of the blame than you offer yourself.

***

"Ikkakumon?"

You glance over at the figure once more, shifting from foot to foot.

"Yeah, that's me," he responds, nodding. "Are you Jou?" He repeats.

"Yeah, I suppose I am." you say in response to his earlier question. "What can I do for you...sir?" you ask.

"How long have you been living in this territory?" He asks and you see him eyeing you up and down, his blue eyes trained on you. You shift under his gaze, trying to recall when you first got here.

"Probably ten years or so," you decide finally.

"And you took the time to help the other demons in my territory?" He asks and you nod, swallowing hard. It had been what you were okay with. You knew some basic first aid, and had been able to develop your skills the more that the other demons came to you. You had, of course, in those years honed your ability to control ice, but healing was the first thing you wanted to do, even when you lived in the human world.

"Well, I wasn't going to fight them." You say, standing up and staring Ikkakumon down. "I don't believe in fighting. There are other ways to live!"

"You are a strange child." Ikkakumon decides, his arms crossed over his chest. "I challenge you to a fight."

"I won't fight you." You decide, staring him down. "I'm a healer, not a fighter."

"I am surprised that you have made it this far." He decides. "People who don't find tend to die."

"I made the others a deal." You say after a moment. "If you don't want me in your territory any longer, I would be more than happy to leave."

"No, I approached you for another reason." Ikkakumon says and holds out his hand. "I am looking for an apprentice, one that I can trust to take over my place, that won't lead this territory into senseless words. I have on good information that you are friends with the new Kabuterimon. I think you are reliable."

You stare at him, opening your mouth to protest but he holds up the once outstretched hand.

"I am only offering you this because I believe that you will be the most reliable in the times to come." Ikkakumon says and you shake your head.

"I don't-" you began.

He holds up a hand and you slowly close your mouth. "There is a force that is coming, unstoppable, and i will not be here for what will come. I want to know this territory is in safe hands."

"Why me?" You ask finally.

"I told you," he says. "I can know that this territory will be safe in the coming years, or I can let it fall apart. Turn my back on those that came to me for protection."

"You don't chase others out." You say slowly. "You want to be a safe haven,"

"Yes." He agrees, holding out his hand. "Will you continue the legacy of Ikkaku Jou Kido?"

You stare at the offered hand, taking it and letting the man pull you to your feet. "I'll do it," you say and you follow him up the pathway.


	3. Birdramon

Your breathing is haggered as you look across the way. There's blood dripping down from a cut above your eye and you hurt. You're ten years old and it's dark. The teenager glowers at you and you meet his gaze. There's a weapon in his hand and you want to run. But if you lose your round now...

"Sora!"

You hiss under the call of our name, ducking under the blade as it comes towards you. You feel it catch and you're driving a fist full of flames into the teenager's gut. The searing smell of burning flesh used to make your stomach turn, but now you are past it.

"Sora!"

You shove the teenager away from you, grabbing a piece of cloth from your pocket and pressing it to the cut above your eye.

"Are you out here?"

You turn, plastering a smile on your face. "Yes mother," you say, hurrying over to her.

"What have you been doing?" She asks and you glance down at your hands. Your gloves, which you purchased specifically to be heat resistant, have ash residue and you shrug.

"I was just walking around." You say, shoving your hands in your pockets.

"You're covered in dirt Sora," your mother clicks her tongue and you tense.

"I'm sorry mother, I fell while I was out playing soccer." You say and you see her nod. You have done better than most, learning to control the demonic powers and hide them from your mother.

"I see," she says with a nod. "Please be more careful," she cautions and you nod. "There has been an uprise in killings in the neighborhood. I would like you to be safe, but if you constantly go out of your way..."

You take a breath to keep your first response in. "I know what I'm doing mom." You say. "I'm being careful anytime I'm out here. I just dislike being stuck in home all day. It's summer, everyone is going to get over the demon attacks, move on with their day."

"I never said what sort of attacks they were."

You quickly go over the words in your mind, offering her a shrug. "I've been watching the news." You say quickly. They had found several of the other demons that had tried to attack and hurt you. You are glad now that the burned bodies would not lead back to you, but it meant you had to be more careful. You didn't want your mother to know."

"Sora..." She sighs, glancing away from you and you quicken your pace. It's a short walk back to your home. And when you're inside, your mother double checks the locks.

***

"I want you gone."

You stand in the doorway as your mother glowers at you. You're clutching a bleeding hand to your chest and your heart is racing in fear.

"Mom, I-" you began, but there was no hiding it from her now. You were changing a bandage and she had come in, thinking you weren't home. She had seen the wings, the scars, everything. And you had hurt your hand again with the scissors. She stares at you now. You're fourteen, and you had hoped you could make it through the next three years without being found out.

"I do not want some demon living in my house!" She snaps and you lower your head, grabbing a bag of clothes-you were prepared in case she did find out-and shuffling past her. You grabbed your shoes and jacket before heading outside, pulling on the jacket and walking.

It was a short walk to the city limits and you step into the other territory easily enough. You had explored the demon territory closest to your home as much as you could. You set your gaze on the mountain, walking through the colder area as quick as you could. Here, you could be who you wanted to. Here, you didn't have to hide. You grin at the thought of true freedom and let out a loud whoop, racing through the cold to the volcano beyond.

***

"Is someone in here?"

You look up from the back of your cave when you hear the voice, eyes glittering from the flames in front of you.

"This is my home," you say, standing to your full height. You have been in the demon territory of Birdramon for nearly thirty years. You're young, by demon standards you have found. You would still be considered a child, but you grin when you see the younger figure flinch away from you.

"Would you be willing to shelter me for the night?" The kid asks and you weigh your options. Over the years, you had learned how to best judge those that passed by your cave. You had spent too many nights hungry to share your food with someone. You sometimes opened the space if they could offer you something you needed.

"What do you have to trade for a safe space to sleep in?" You ask, getting up from the fire and walking to the entrance. You see the speaker, a kid like you had thought. His hair was blue at the roots, red the rest of the way through and he looked truly frightened as he takes in your wings.

"I can offer you knowledge," he says after a moment. You see him swallow and you arch an eyebrow.

"What sort of knowledge?" You counter.

"Let me stay here for the night and I will tell you." He says and you let your wings flutter, considering the options.

"Do you have any food?" You ask, voice kinder than it had been as you step to the side, waving him in.

"No, I..." He hesitates, shaking his head. "No, I don't. I'm passing through to Kabuterimon's territory. I got lost."

"I have some extra food." You say, sitting back at the fire, your gaze on the entrance of the cave. "What kind of information can you give to me?"

"Birdramon is dying." The kid says, taking a seat across from you. "They say he's looking for someone that could kill him."

"Not much use in killing a dying man." You comment, passing over the food that you had not eaten earlier. You had heard that Birdramon had not been doing well, but you had not considered what that could mean.

"He won't die until he has someone to take over his position." The kid says and your gaze snaps to him, taking him in and weighing the information that he is giving you.

"He is a demon lord," you say slowly. You could only live so high up on the mountain before you entered Birdramon's direct home. You were the closest anyone ever gotten to being there. He had never mentioned your presence, but you had seen him fly through the area every once in awhile.

"I think you would have the ability to do it." The kid says and you glance at him, raising an eyebrow. He's eating as he talks, and you remember your mother once telling you to not do that, commenting on how impolite it was. The memory makes you snort, and you see him glance your way, confused.

"My name's Sora, what's yours?" You ask.

"Koushiro," the kid responds, finishing the food that you had given him. "Would you be willing to show me the way to the end of the mountain, please?"

You consider his question before nodding. "I can do that. I have to go down that way anyway. I'll see you through in the morning." You get up, adding another log on the fire before retreating to your corner.

***

You set off with Koushiro in the morning. It's warm around the volcano and you find the pathway he needs. He thanks you and you take the other fork, heading up to the higher peak. You let out your wings, enjoying the feeling of the air running through your feathers.

"What do you want?"

You don't turn when you hear the voice, keeping your gaze fixed. "I'm looking for Birdramon."

"And why would you be doing that?" The voice asks.

"He's dying," you shrug. "I want to see if I have what it takes to be his replacement."

"You're a cocky one." The voice snorted. "What makes you think you can do it?"

"Show your face and I'll show you!" You say, raising your hands and flexing your fingers.

"What makes you think you could defeat me?"

You don't flinch even as the waves of heat rush past you. You hold your ground, wings flared out. There's movement and you see a demon, more bird than human, land in front of you.

"You're dying," you say simply, raising a hand. "I hid my nature from my family for nearly seven years before they found out what I was. What makes you think that I can't defeat you?"

"You're spineless," the man says. "I am Birdramon of the mountain. Come and fight if you think you can defeat me."

You launch yourself at the older demon, a fire in your eyes. And you return, every day to fight Birdramon, until he teaches what you need to learn. And you kill him, another demon added to your list in the fight to maintain your sanity. A fight that you had started when you were seven, and your powers first came about.

It took you two weeks to best Birdramon, claiming his title when he finally fell. You feel more powerful when you step into his old home, taking up the mantle of Birdramon. You wonder what life may have been like if you had stayed in your cave. And you vowed that you would help the others if they ever needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone interested in a really weird Yamato/Taichi/Koushiro fic after this?


	4. Togemon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a pain in the ass to write.

You stare across the desert, watching the figures move across. You glance towards your mentor, the woman nodding after a brief moment.

"Now would be the time to move," she murmurs and you nod.

"Are you sure I cannot stay here awhile longer?" You ask, not hopeful that the answer would change.

"Mimi, you are old enough to live on your own now." The woman says, resting a hand on your shoulder. "When you were only a couple days old, I took you in. The time to move on has come."

"I know," you say with a small sigh. You look across the desert, grimacing for a moment. "Thank you for all of the help that you have given me."

"Do yourself a favor Mimi," the woman says and you glance at her. She's hiding in the shade, staring in disgust at the desert. "Stay away from the demon lord of the territory. Last I heard, she's a displeasurable woman."

"Understood, thank you." You say, stepping out into the desert. The warmth you feel makes you relax, and you wonder if you shouldn't have come to the desert sooner. You had always disliked the colder climate of your mentor's home. Here, you felt truly alive.

You make your home at the base of a cactus, hollowing it out. You spend your days resting and the following nights learning your new home. It takes you nearly a year to find someone else in the deserted landscape, and you're almost taken off guard when you do.

"I'm sorry for bothering you," the kid says, looking towards you. "I'm lost, and don't..." He shifts on his feet, falling in front of you. You hesitate, leaning forward and catching him before he hit the ground.

You drag him into your base of operations, preparing water for when he wakes. You watch over him, worried when he starts to develop a fever. You use a wet cloth to wipe down his face, barely twitching when his hand reaches out and grabs your wrist.

"Where...am I?" He asks, voice croaking.

"In the desert," you say, feeling his grip relax. He drops his hands and you look down. "What's your name?"

"Koushiro," he says after a moment. "And yours?"

"Mimi," you murmur, moving to rest his head on your lap.

"Do you know you live in a cactus?" He asks.

You let out a laugh, nodding. "Of course. I made this place myself. I was left here on my fifteenth birthday. It seemed like the best place to make a home, didn't it?"

"You're green?" He frowns. "Or am I hallucinating?"

"I'm green," you say with a nod. "What territory did you blow in from?"

"Kabuterimon's," he says, resting his head on your lap. "I got lost, there was a sandstorm..." He pauses, trying to find the words and you slowly stroke his hair.

"You can stay with me for a while, if you could like." You offer. "It's not much of a life, but there is safety during the day. If you try to cross through the desert now, you'll only end up dying."  
"What makes you think that?" Koushiro frowns.

"The desert is unforgiving, this is Togemon's territory. He's a fighter, is willing to challenge any who pass through." You explain. "Going through now, during the day, is going to kill you."

"I see," he says, closing his eyes. "Mimi?"

"Hmmm?" You ask.

"How can you live here?"

"Well, I'm green. I have the ability to stay under the sun. Like a cactus." You say, a smile crossing your features.

"I guess," Koushiro says before falling back asleep. You don't move, wondering what to do.

***

"Koushiro, what do I owe this surprise?" You look up from where you were sewing, your eyes guarded. The demon shifts, wings buzzing behind his back.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing." He says after a moment.

"Oh?" You ask, putting your work aside and raising an eyebrow.

"No, I got lost again." He admits and you stand up, letting out a small laugh.

"What are you doing on Togemon's lands?" You ask. You see him hesitate before he offers a shrug.

"Passing along a message, maybe." He says and you stare at him. It had been years since you had seen him. You had led him back to Kabuterimon's territory when you were younger.

"Who were you passing a message along to?" You ask, hands on your hips and you step forward, blocking the entrance fully to your home. He had grown since you last seen him, and you almost felt proud.

"Outside forces are gathering, if you'll believe it." He says. "They want to eradicate the demons from our own lands, lands that they pushed us to. There's no clear definition on what they're doing or why, but I don't think it's going to be for anything good."

"It's never for anything good." You point out. "Humans always try to take control of things that they don't understand."

"I came across a prophecy, written down in blood." Koushiro says and you raise an eyebrow at him, waiting for him to continue. He does, clearing his throat beforehand. "The demons borne good will come to rise. Demons praised angels will learn to rise. They clash together, in a battle of blood. Only to be left for a home above."

"That doesn't make any sense." You point out.

"How long have you worn the mantle of Togemon?" He asks and you feel yourself blush, though it wouldn't show up on your green skin.

"A year, maybe more. I don't keep track of time as often as one thinks." You point out. "Why do you ask?"

"There will come a time when the demon lords will need to rise and fight together. Would I have your word that you would join us, if that time comes?" Koushiro asks.

"Are you asking as a friend, or a demon lord yourself?"

"That remains to be seen." He says. "Think on it Mimi," he adds before turning to leave. You watch him fade away and sit on your heap of blankets. Coming by the title of Togemon had been very underwhelming. You had happened to find the woman that was Togemon before, as she lay dying from a wound that had gone septic. You had offered her healing, a way to ease the pain before passing and she had gladly accepted.

Right before passing, she had told you who she was and you had accepted the title in turn. You watch Koushiro leave the desert valley you called home, wondering why your stomach felt so heavy.


	5. Kabuterimon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did get the idea of the library from AtLA.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to pursue the knowledge that I was not allowed to have back home." You say, looking up at the guardian of the library. You take a step back, nearly tripping over your own feet as you try to take in the size of the monster that guarded.

"This is a private library, only one may enter at a time." The beast growls and you shake your head.

"I spent years looking for this place." You say. You had learned of the library in the demon world and left home before you had started to develop the demonic warning signs. You had left a note of your parents, explaining that you had wanted to know everything that the library had to offer.

When you had been searching for a year and had started to grow wings, you understood the reason why they had never tried to come back for you. The realization had hurt, at first, but you had grown to accept that the past could not be changed.

"Many spend much longer and never find this place." The beast comments. "However, the rules are the rules. There is only one allowed at a time, and the current resident has not left for years. Tell me, what is your name?"

"Only if you offer me the name of who hides in a library," you snort, moving to sit on the rock across from the library. "I will not move from this spot until I am allowed entry."

"My library and all of its contents happen to move, young man. Even if you do not move from that spot, the library will and you will have to spend years searching for it again." The beast points out, spreading a wing to block the entrance when you tried to get around him.

"You move in a pattern. It'll take you exactly a week to reach this spot once more. You have moved in the same pattern for longer than the demon realms have belonged to the demon lords." You say and the beast drops its wing ever so slightly.

"What knowledge do you seek that you cannot find elsewhere?" He asks, tipping his head to the side.

"The knowledge of who is inside the library, for starters." You comment. "The knowledge that drove me to find the library in the first place. Everything can be found inside it. Every piece of history gets recorded and placed inside. There are years and years upon years of knowledge. And, from rumors i Have heard along the way, you have prophecies and books of things that are to happen. They are changeable, of course, but for some, they are not. Such as the lineage for the demon lords, their children, their successors, things of that nature."

"You are well learned, even without needing to transverse my halls. Perhaps you have learned what you needed to and do not truly need the access to my hall?" He laughs softly and you shake your head.

"There are things I need in there. I heard that there is danger coming, and I haven't been able to find Kabuterimon to warn him of the dangers that will pass. If, as I suspect, he is dead, then there has to be a clue as to who will take his position and I can warn them instead." You say, biting your tongue on accident as you speak.

"Kabuterimon is far from dead," the beast muses. "But, I do not think that you will find your answers in books."

"Books, scrolls, prophecies, I will do what I must to find the information that I am looking for." You say with a shrug. "I do not need more than a week,"

"We're close to the border of Togemon's lands." The beast comments, voice sharp with laughter. "And there have been others, before you, that say they only need a week and the library of knowledge has swallowed them up for years and years, until it spits them out an empty husk of a person. Are you so sure that you can keep track of time when you are surrounded by so much knowledge?"

"I may want to learn everything, but even I know that things have to be done beyond learning." You say with a shake of your head. "If you let yourself be caught up in everything that you're learning, if you let it consume you, then there is no use in learning it."

"Who do you think is in my library?" The beast inquires.

"Do I have any options or hints?" You shoot back and it shakes his head. You ponder the question, knowing that it could be anything or anyone in the library.

"You can ask questions," the beast offered. "But you may not receive an answer, so there is that as well."

"Kabuterimon is hiding in the library and probably died," you say after a moment. "No one knows where the hell he disappeared to and it's about the best answer I can come up with."

"Seeing as Kabuteri started this library, I am not surprised that one of his descendants would have eventually ended up dead in it." The beast responds. "Seeing as you gave the answer in such a quick response, what made you think of it?"

"No one has seen him in years." You point out. "You said the person that was in there has been in there for about years now. Only one person at a time. And when Kabuterimon did disappear, your library had managed to vanish along with him. If only one person can be in there at a time, Kabuterimon and the library disappeared at the same time, and now it is reappearing, it must mean that whoever was in there is now dead and it's more likely to be the demon lord than anyone else."

"Very sound reasoning, Koushiro." The beast muses. "Mostly right, wrong about one thing."

"What one thing?" You ask.

"The library never disappears when someone is in it. People mostly stopped looking for me. I picked a route on which was less likely to turn up people. I travel through the six demon realms and avoid everyone." The beast says, bobbing its head up and down.

"So, it was Kabuterimon in there?" You ask, trying to peer through the beast's wing to get a better look inside.

"Yes," the beast agreed. "But do you know what I am?"

"No," you say with a shake of your head. "Nothing I ever found on the library mentioned a guardian like you."

"By the virtue of your own knowledge, you have solved a mystery for the ages." The beast laughs. "Kabuterimon did indeed die in these halls three months ago. It was a poison that had been working his way through his system since he first stepped foot in my library. Any descendants of Kabuteri will eventually die upon entering the library .That is the reason why I am not allowing you in, young Koushiro."

"But-" you start to protest and the beast shakes its head.

"I am as old as the original Kabuteri. I am a piece of him, if you want to think of it that way. He desired knowledge, he desired to know all. He was afraid that his descendants would come and steal it all. You are one of those, are you not? That is why you seek out the library." The beast comments and you let out a sigh.

"You're saying that the demon lord Kabuterimon is dead. Then what will that mean for his territory? Many believe that he is just hiding, not dead." You point out. "And there is something that I need in the library. A prophecy I was told to go find. But, if I'm not allowed in..."

"What prophecy do you seek so badly that you would be willing to risk death to find?" The beast asks and you shake your head.

"I suppose it doesn't matter, if you want to look at it that way." You decide. "If I'm not allowed in, I can't find what I need."

"I can find the information, if you tell me what it is that you're looking for." The beast offers. "That would save you the effort of being poisoned. And you would receive what you were seeking."

"But...not really? We still have a territory left without a lord." You say. "Maybe I was hoping that Kabuterimon was in there because no one has seen him in years. We're on the brink of a war and you're telling me he's dead?"

"He is dead, but the title has passed on." The beast says and you feel something touch your ankle. When you bend down, you see a creature holding out a scroll to you. You take it, the creature disappearing back into the hole of the library door. You feel your fingertips itch, wanting to enter but taking the warning of the beast at face value.

"Do you know to who?" You ask.

"The first person that found he was dead. That would be you. You are the blood of the old. You have sought knowledge and gained it. You have gained a title, a history, a land, a territory. But still you want to seek knowledge that you will have no way to understand. That is, in truth, admirable. You want to know things. You want to know why we were put in the demon realms. But first, you have a territory to survey Kabuterimon. You found what you were seeking, and you gained more than you thought." The beast muses.

You glance at the scroll in your hand. "What is this?"

"The prophecy you mentioned," the beast says, folding its wings against its side and leaving the mouth of the library open. "There will be a time when the church backs demons pretending otherwise. These angelic demons will seek to destroy everything that they touch."

"Yes," you say in agreement, holding the scroll in your hand, unsure if you want to open it and read what it has to say.

"The demon lords must band together, they must fight together or all is lost." The beast says with a bow of his head.

"How can I prove that Kabuterimon is dead and that I am the next demon lord?" You ask, watching the beast as it shuffles to the side, shaking its head.

"Go to the highest peak of the territory and you will find the nest long abandoned. There, you will find a journal that will have the answers you seek, to that question. But, that is all that I can do for you, young Kabuterimon. The rest is up to you. Goodbye," you watch as the beast takes wing, the library sailing out of sight.

You look down at the scroll in your hands, fluttering your wings and taking the directions as the beast had said, wondering if anyone would disagree with such a young person in the position.


	6. Greymon

"You want to mentor me?"

"Sure kid," the woman says, looking at him. "You're what, ten, eleven?"

"Twelve," he says. "Why do you want to mentor me?"

"Because, I think you have a lot of potential if you let me help you." She says with a smile and you take a step back from her.

"I don't know about that." You say after a moment. "I don't know you,"

"Kid, you're in the demon realms, you know that? Do you think waiting here will bring back your family?" She asks and you shake your head, clamping your hands over your ears.

"They will come back," you protest, more to yourself than the strange woman with the horns on the sides of her head. "They wouldn't have just left me."

"When did your parents leave you here?" She asks, gently pulling your hands away from your ears.

"I don't know," you say after a moment. "I was nine, maybe. There was another boy here too."

"I can give you some food if you want to come with me." The woman says.

"Who are you?" You ask after a moment, taking a step towards her.

"My name's Greymon," she says with a smile. "I can get you some food, it would be home cooked, maybe a bit cold by now. But, will you come?"

You stare at her hand, taking it after a moment and nodding. She and you walk with her, glancing over your shoulder at the place that had been your home for years now. You turn your attention back to the woman, trying to get a better view of her.

"Why are you helping me?" You ask her after a moment, Greymon frowning at the question, though you can barely make out her facial features.

"Why should I not help you?" She retorts back. "In this world, it's kill or be killed. Why can we not have some sort of kindness to spread through the lands? Even if it is little and no one really expects it."

"But, aren't you a demon?" You ask. "Demons aren't meant to be friends with each other, that's what I was told."

"And who told you that?" She asks.

"The humans, my parents... They think demons should be rid of. That there is no place for them...us?" You question with a frown. "They got into an argument one night, when my younger sister was sick. They brought me here after then. I...think I did something bad, but I don't know if it was because of me, or something else."

"Well, then you are in a place where those bad things can become good that you do for people. See, I don't believe that we demons should be fighting each other. We were all placed here because of humans. They decided that we were not worth the time, the place, in their world. We have a place here that we made, sure, but it wouldn't have been enough in the old times. Have you heard the stories of the demon lords?" She asks.

You shake your head, looking around the desert that you had skirted curiously.

"There are six of them, and when they were in their prime, they were magnificent beasts." She says with a smile and the two of you go quiet. It's not until, hours later, that she speaks again.

"It's thought that we descended from them." She says quietly.  
You had made it to her home. She had given you your own room, telling you everything that you needed to know. Don't leave the home without her. Don't let yourself be seen in case of people who would be willing to hurt you. You had repeated everything back to her until she was certain that you would be safe by yourself.

"Who was descended from what?" You ask with a frown, looking up from the book that she had offered you when you had stated that you were bored. It had been the first book that you had read in years and, while the skill was rusty, you were enjoying yourself.

"That those that take up the mantle of the original demon lords are descendents." Greymon explains. "I was in my twenties when I first came to the demon world. I had done the research-"

"How did you hide yourself?" You ask, not caring what else she had done.

"I was a late bloomer. I never had the physical appearance of a demon, but I had the abilities. I studied the demon lords while I hid myself away in the human realm. It took years to perfect my act, of course. And, when I got here, I had to learn a new set of rules. It was grueling, but I caught the attention of the previous demon lord of Greymon's region. He was impressed by my knowledge and took me on as a sort of apprentice. When he died, I took over." She says with a shrug.

"So, why are you helping me?" You ask, setting the book on the table and looking at her.  
She sits up, brushing hair out of her face and staring you down. She offers you a small smile, teeth glinting in the low light. "What makes you think I'm helping you?"

"Didn't you..." You hesitate, looking in her eyes and reading what she was trying to say. "You are trying to help me, in a way that doesn't make it look like you're helping me." You say after a moment. "By giving me the option... It really wasn't a choice, you might have killed me but..."

"The point?" She asks.

"You offered me a place to stay. You want to teach me so I can do something for you." You say. "And you're going to keep me here until you get what you want."

"Yes, that much is true." She says with a nod. "Demons, we can be a little more social to each other. We can bring it in our hearts to be friends with each other, if we just tried. The current demon lords? All they want to do is fight amongst themselves, with the exception of Garurumon. There's no telling what that lord will do. But, I want to make the demon realms a place where we can accept each other. We're kicked out of our homes at a young age and given no chance for a mistake that our parents make. We get dealt a hand that we can't play with, unless we learn to cheat from a very young age. Do you miss your sister?"

"I do," you say after a moment. "I... I wish she was here, even if this place is terrible. Or, even better, I wish I was home, with my family. But I can't..."

"Because they think you a monster?" She offers and you nod with a sigh.

"Something like that." You say. "My point." You add, looking up at her. "You want something from me, what is it?"

"I want to do what the Greymon did before me. He picked who took after him. He didn't wait for someone to come and challenge him for his position. He took me in, as a young demon, and showed me the ropes of how he worked his territory. I want to do the same. And I like helping kids." She says with a grin.

"Okay..." You frown.

"Now, tell me what you've learned from the book so far." She grins.

****

"Get back Taichi!"

The voice makes you flinch and you do is she instructs without second thought. You raise your hand, already a fire ball forming.

"Are you really trying to protect that brat Greymon?" Someone whispers and your head snaps to the side, following the demon that spoke. "You really have gone weak."

"Better weak than a fool," Greymon says. You watch as she surges forward, her own fire burning bright as the demon runs to meet her. It's a quick battle, and when you find the guts to reach them, you see Greymon sitting up, a hand clasped around her stomach.

"Let me-" you begin, but she reaches up, grabbing hold of your wrist.

"Don't bother," she says with a sad smile. "I don't think I'll be living much longer, sorry about that Taichi." She adds. "There was still so much more I wanted to go over with you and I don't think I'll be able to do that now."

"What...are you talking about?" You ask, trying to get to the wound despite her pushing your hands to the side. You give up when she laughs at you, her voice reaching through your fog of worry.

"I'm going to die, it's the way things are." She says simply. "Now, sit, I still have something important to tell you and I probably don't have much time left."

"If you just let me help!" You grunt but does as she says when she levels a glare at you. You shut your mouth, crossing your arms over your chest to let her know how angry you were.

"I am passing on the title of Greymon on to you. There's a disturbance in the human realm. I got a couple messages from Kabuterimon mentioning something along the same lines. But, and I say this with grace, I'm glad I will miss the shit show that you are about to have. Love you Taichi, you're like the son I never had." She smiles at you, using her free hand to pass you the brown skull.

You turn it over in your hands, thinking of a response. But, when you finally formed one, she was gone.


	7. The Angels Pt 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takeru and Hikari's chapters are blended together.

You sit in the back of the classroom, watching your childhood friend talk to the teenager that stood just too close to him. It was your first day in the school, first day and you hadn't even walked up to him yet, told him that you were there. It had been hard, knowing that you would be moving. Worse to know that it was in the middle of the year.

You purse your lips, looking down at your phone and shoving it in your pocket. It's a moment longer before you scrape your chair back, push your hands into your pockets and walk towards the front, only half arguing that it was a bad idea to do it.

"Takeru?"

You glance up when you hear your name, offering Hikari a smile. "Seems like we got put in the same class." You say and your gaze slides to the teenager he had been talking to, whose mouth was opened, whose teeth looked like they were too pointed and jagged for a human mouth.

"You didn't tell me you were moving!" He says, slapping your arm and you laugh, giving in and pulling him into a hug.

"It was supposed to be a surprise. You know, I didn't know if we would end up in the same class, so I didn't want to get your hopes up." You explain. It's only half a lie. It was more lie than truth. You had known, you just hadn't been sure what to tell him.

"Who's this?" The boy asks, stepping into your space when Hikari takes a step back. You glance at him, gaze chilly as you take him in. Not human, less demon than human, but still not fully human.

"Takeru Takaishi," you supply. "And you are...?"

"Daisuke," he says, without giving you a last name and you want to roll your eyes as he places his hands on his hips. "How do you know Hikari?"

"We were friends in like, second grade." Hikari says with a wave of his hand. "We've kept in contact since, but we haven't gone to the same school in ages. I'm surprised that you're here though Takeru. Without any warning even."

You smile, falling into the same routine that you had in the past. It was easy to keep the running lie between you two. Let the others know that you were friends from childhood, that you met each other when you were younger, rather than...

_"It isn't safe for someone like you out here,"_

_Your words make the figure that you had spoken to flinch, hair falling in her face as she turns to look at you. Neither of you are older than nine, maybe ten. You hold a staff in your hand. It was one of those nights, the nights that you took to the backstreets to find those that needed help. At a young age, you knew what you were doing. You knew the fights that you got into. And, with your face protected, you were able to help those that needed it._

_"And what are you?" The voice asks, and you grimace. You had thought she was young, that she needed protection on the streets, but her words sounded like someone that could protect herself._

_"Angemon," you say after a moment's hesitation. You still were only a ten year old, when you weren't wearing your angelic form. YOu see the girl look at you, though you can't tell how you know, with the metal half helmet that covers her face._

_"Another angel? How quant," she says with a smile. "I am Angewomon. What are you doing out here by yourself, Angemon?"_

_"Protecting," you say with a shrug. You had done that, since you had learned what happened to your brother. Your mother had let slip when you were nine, what had happened to him. You had resented your parents for that and, through the hatred, had come to realize your own powers._

_"Shall we protect together?" She asks, holding out a hand._

_You stare at it, considering only for a moment before taking it. Even though you wouldn't learn for another year who she was underneath the guise, you had felt confident that she would not come to harm you._

"You know what it's like with my parents," you say as the memories flash through your mind, reminding you that you two had planned to meet up that night.

"I don't like you," Daisuke decided, when Hikari had returned to his seat. You arch an eyebrow at him, frowning.

"Why do you make such quick judgements?" You inquire and he shakes his head. You return to your own seat, choosing to stare out the window. You could do without the harsh judgements from someone you did not know, but for now you could choose to ignore them.

***

"Come on, did you really have to invite him Hikari?"

You glance around the room, finding Daisuke to be the source of the complaint. You had agreed to join Hikari at the church, three weeks after he found out that you two were in the same class.

Hikari shrugs, sitting in a seat. "I think he would get a laugh out of your ideas," he says in a tone you know meant to be teasing but Daisuke groans.

"Who owns the church?" You ask, glancing at the other three kids that you hadn't met before. Your hands are in your pockets and you can sense their curiosity.

"My parents," the girl, who you had learned was named Miyako, says with a smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you Takeru,"

"Pleasure to meet you as well," you say with a nod. You sit on one of the couches, taking a backseat to the conversation taking place and deciding it would be best to listen.

"The church would be willing to back us,"

That statement caught your attention when you realized you had started to drift. Hikari was sitting next to you, playing on his phone and you internally curse yourself for having fallen asleep.

"What good are having parents in the church if they don't believe their daughter?" Daisuke says with a roll of his eyes.

"I'm serious," Miyako says and gestures towards one of the two boys. "Ken was there when we talked about it. They believe that there will be children, descended of angels, that will lead the humans against the demons. It would be a perfect time to tell them."

"And how many children do they talk about?" Iori, the youngest in the group by your estimate, inquires. "If it's more than four, don't you think we're a little put out?"

"Angels and demons, huh?" You ask, breaking into their conversation and you see Hikari send you a glance your way. It was one that meant, 'what are you getting into?'

"Yeah, what about it?" Daisuke asks.

"Have any of you ever even been around a demon?" You ask curiously.

"How much can we trust blondie?" Daisuke asks, turning his attention to Hikari. You see him think for a moment, brushing hair out of his face to give himself time to answer.

"I would trust him with my life," he says finally. "He's not someone I would want to go up against in a fight, for sure, but I would trust him with my life."

"Are you good at keeping secrets?" Ken asks,talking for the first time since you and Hikari had gotten there and you meet his gaze.

"How would you be able to judge that?" You point out. "If I told you something that I kept a secret, it would mean I'm shit at keeping secrets. If I told you I thought I was good at keeping secrets, you would pester me for a secret I had kept. Which again, would just prove that I'm shit at keeping secrets."

"He's good at keeping secrets," Hikari says, glancing up from his phone before tucking it away. "Whatever you want to talk about, Takeru can keep his mouth shut."

"See, the four of us are angelic beings." Daisuke says and you resist the urge to roll your eyes. There was no way that you had sensed wrong, they weren't human, but not angelic. You glance at Hikari and he offers you a slight shrug, glancing away from you.

"The prophecy doesn't mention any specific number," Miyako says.

"What does that mean for us?" Ken says.

"I think we can spin it to mean us," Daisuke says, glancing at you. "And maybe blondie, but I don't know how trustworthy he is."

"I think I have to go, I'd rather not have my intelligence insulted. Will I be seeing you later Hikari?" You ask, getting up from the couch. The others glance at you, Daisuke narrowing his eyes but they let you leave. You walk up the stairs to the main church room, turning to look at the image of the angel on the stained glass window. You look up at the angel, letting out a breath.

"You look lost child,"

You nearly jump when you hear the voice, turning to look at the speaker.

"No, just a bit tired." You say with a smile. "Can you tell me about the angel in the glass?" You ask, looking up at it.

"HolyAngemon, the last angel of his kind." The woman says, looking up at the glass window. "He was a protector, for years. He is said to be the father of children."

"He's beautiful," you say after a moment, unable to voice what you were feeling. "Thank you,"

"Are you one of Miyako's friends?" The woman asks and you nod. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Will you tell me more about him?" You ask.

"If you return, perhaps I can. But, for now, I have work to get done. It was a pleasure to meet you Takeru."

"How did-" You turn, finding the woman gone. You glance back at the stained glass, sending up a thank you before walking out of the church, feeling at peace.


	8. The Angels Pt 2

"Hikari?"

You blink as light streams in through the window. You don't remember when you went to sleep, but you can feel the person under you begin to stir and it was him who had said your name.

"I'm sleeping," you say, recalling how hard it had been to wake up your brother before he had disappeared. You stiffen at the thought of Taichi and you let out a small grunt.

"No, you're not. Are you okay?" Takeru asks and you sit up, slowly as to not hit your head on the underside of the bunk above you.

"I just thought about someone that I haven't seen in a very long time." You say quietly. It had been three years since you had first found out he was going to your school. It had been rapid, the solidifying of your connection to your-and it made you snort to think this-angelic half. You had known him on the streets, from the time you were ten. You had met even with the guise of your angel forms off to the side. You had met as children, at the mall, and had become friends after you had formed a partnership to help those that you could.

Now, at the age of eighteen, you could count each second that it took for Takeru to breathe under you, the way his heart beat unevenly.

"Who were you thinking about?" He asks and he still sounds half asleep. When you glance at him, you see him with a half opened eye, looking back at you. Both of you had heard your parents leave for work earlier that morning and you didn't have school, so you were content to stay here, laying with your head on his chest.

"My brother," you say after a moment. "Mother abandoned him when I was young. Sometimes, I wonder if I dreamed that he even existed in the first place."

You feel Takeru's fingers still as they run through your hair. You had been growing it out, to match your angel form. You had loved the thought of long, flowing hair. But, most days, you threw it up in a bun and went on your way. "I had a brother once too," he says quietly.

"What was his name?" You ask.

"Yamato, my parents kicked him out for being part demon." Takeru laughs.

"And are they some of the same people that fall down for Daisuke and his band of angelic beings?" You ask with a roll of your eyes. "He messaged last night, wants to know if we will be there for them. You know, since we're actual angels, the church will totally have us."

"I don't know what my parents think. I try not to talk to them about that kind of stuff. They don't talk to me about it either, same as your parents. Does he still want to date you?" Takeru asks and you shrug.

"Probably, but he's not someone I would want to date." You comment. "He's too hard headed to get it through his skull that he's just not someone I'm interested in."

"Daisuke, hard headed? Never." Takeru laughs and you shove his shoulder, moving as far as you could in the twin sized bunk bed. You give up after a moment, realizing just how much space he was taking up. You clamber over him, running a hand over your bare arm as you forage for clean clothes.

"He called me yesterday," you say. "Really though, he thinks that I would still want to join him on the whole 'Get rid of the demon territories' and I don't have the heart to tell him."

"Well, what are we going to do about them?" Takeru asks, sitting up and watching you get dressed. You throw a shirt at his face and he laughs, pulling it over his head.

"I don't know what we're going to do," you say, tipping your head back to Takeru. "And I don't know how to get Daisuke off my case, in case you're curious."

"Have you told him you're taken?" Takeru asks, finally pulling himself off the bed. "It's bad enough that he won't leave you alone. But if you just told him we were dating-"

You scoff, rolling your eyes as you find a pair of clean pants. As far as your parents knew, you and Takeru were nothing more than friends. That was what the world saw, best friends, partners if thing got too rough. "You know he would probably not care? Or, even better, he would try fighting you again."

"We know they aren't angelic beings in the slightest." Takeru says and you shake your head.

"Miyako has the church wrapped around her finger. They're all for the idea of fighting against the demon lords. If we were to take a side..."

"My brother would be out there somewhere." Takeru says and you glance at him. He's staring out the window of your bedroom, shirt half on.

"We could fight with them," you say, grimacing. "Or..."

"Or? Is there really an 'or' for us Hikari?" He asks, pulling his shirt all the way on and walking over to you. You frown, glancing up at him.

"We can alert the demon lords, tell them what is happening. If they fight together, perhaps we can save them." You say and gesture towards the church in the distance. "We watched what happened when Daisuke got a taste of power. He went for it, along with Ken. Iori and Miyako will be the casualties that we have to contend with. If, and that is a huge if, we tell the church that they are not true angelic beings, that they are demons, they would more than likely be killed. They have grown too large to merely be tossed aside."

"Yes," Takeru says with a frown. "But, how can we stop them?"

"We fight on the side of the demons." You suggest and, in the corner of your eye, you see Takeru frown.

"You've heard the rumors from those that we help. It's chaos over there. All of the old demon lords have passed. They have new demon lords. More than likely, they are young and don't know what they're doing. Is that something that we can deal with, Hikari?" He demands. "If, that is a huge if," he says dryly, "we do go to the demon realms. What's to say that the six lords will even fight with us?"

"Then we fight the four of them by ourselves," you say, stepping to the side so Takeru could look you in the face. You reach up, touching his cheek. He was several inches taller than you, but you knew it would not matter. "Angemon, we know what lies at the end of this, if we do not fight."

He reaches up, taking your hand in both of his. "Death to innocent beings," he whispers, letting out a harsh breath. "And the people that follow the four into battle?"

"They chose to fight for who they think is the better of two evils." You comment, voice still stern.

_You had been seven when you felt the light first touch you._

_You had been sleeping, tossing and turning more often than not. Something, deep inside of you, knew it had been wrong. And, when you saw the light, you had gotten out of bed and walked to the balcony, not caring that it was winter._

_"What are you?" You ask, watching the light float above you, giving a merry dance._

_"My name is Angewomon," the voice murmured and you felt your heart swell. You reach up, watching the light settle in your hands and warm you. "I am here as a warning and a gift."_

_"A warning?" You ask, tipping your head to the side._

_"There will be a time, when you and another must make a decision. It will be one of the hardest that you have come across, but it will mean heartache or the joyest moment of your life. Do you remember your brother, young one?" The voice whispers._

_"Sometimes, but it's getting harder to." You admit, cupping the light in your hands._

_"You and he are similar, in many ways. But you, my child, are blessed, just as he is blessed. You are blessed by the gift of light. You, my child, are a child of mine."_

_You giggle. "My mom and dad are inside, sleeping."_

_"And so are you, Hikari." The ball dances and you feel your mouth open as it takes form in front of you, stepping out of your hands. Wings spread and you feel warm, despite the cold air._

_"You have a gift. You are of angelic blood. Take up the path, my child, and know that you are a child of Angewomon."_

_"But I'm a boy," you point out._

_"You can still be one of mine, regardless." The angel says, holding out a hand. And you take it, feeling the light and warmth flood through you._

"Hikari?"

You pull yourself out of your memories, looking at Takeru with a small frown.

"Sorry, what did you ask?"

"Where were you?" He asks curiously.

"I was flying, for the first time over the city." You say with a smile. "The night I learned of my path, as an angel. Angewomon came to me in a ball of light and gave me the power to be an angel. She gave me my wings, and sent me on this path."

"Your wings suit you," Takeru says, leaning over and kissing you ever so faintly.

"Did you make a choice?" You ask.

"I did, did you?" He shoots back.

"I did. You first,"

"I want to fight, with the demon lords. There is no way in knowing if they will join us. But, as a protector and an angel sworn to serve HolyAngemon, I will not let the false prophets ride down and slaughter the demons without warning them." Takeru says, his gaze back on the church in the distance.

"If united, we can save them." You agree, holding tight to his hand. "Even if they will not fight with each other, I will fight the so called angelic beings. We will not let the demons be wiped away without reason."

"Shall we leave then?" Takeru asks.

"Let's be off," you agree and the two of you walk out to the balcony and take to the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wish AO3 would stop taking out the spacing between paragraphs. It's getting annoying to go back and fix it every single chapter.
> 
> This story is done. I really tried to work on it in December and just couldn't. And ended up writing four chapters in about...two days.
> 
> And you see how Takeru and Hikari ended up going to the demon realms to find the demon lords. And how said lords got to where they were. As a reminder, nothing other than spelling errors were edited in posting this chapter. It's a rough draft, but I feel like it got more...sketchy as I wrote it? This was just for fun, an exercise to see what I could do. I enjoy doing stuff like this, one shots that spin into something else.
> 
> But, that's also all I got for this universe. Thank you for reading and leave a comment if you want to see more stuff like this(This being, unedited/sketched type work that I write). As always, you can find me at Ruunkur on tumblr.


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